L&P 1007: Bush Hat or "Boonie" Pattern for 18 inch dolls such as American Girl — the perfect doll hat for outdoor adventures

The Bush Hat (or "Boonie," as it's affectionately called in the U.S. military) is a fabric hat with a flat crown and brim. First worn by Australian soldiers during the First and Second World Wars, the Boonie became popular with American soldiers during the Vietnam War, and remains popular today. And with good reason – soft enough to roll up and stick in a pocket, but wide enough to protect the entire head from the sun, the Boonie is just about the most perfect casual hat.

Like the military-issue originals, hats made from our Boonie pattern can be accessorized with eyelet vents, an adjustable chin strap for stability and twill tape "branch loops" to hold camouflaging vegetation – or anything else your 18" friend might want to tote along on a hike. Our hat can be worn with the brim down in soft, floppy curves, or pulled up to hug the sides of the crown for a rakish profile. You can even attach one side of the brim to the crown with a small snap for an authentic Down Under look.

Of course, your 18" friends won't have to enlist to wear this hat! On the beach, in the woods, at Summer Camp, on a photo safari, at a favorite fishing spot – or even just lounging around the yard – this hat looks great on every doll and in just about any ordinary cotton fabric you can find.

Our Boonie's brim features spiral topstitching and a neat bias tape edge. The crown is fully lined with separate, ever-so-slightly smaller lining patterns for a perfect fit. The adjustable chin strap is easy to make with purchased cord – or you can follow our directions to make your own cord out of easy-to-find embroidery floss. We've even included directions for making a bi-colored cord for a perfect color-coordinated look.

The Bush Hat or Boonie is rated INTERMEDIATE for curved seams, topstitching, bias tape edging, hand basting and occasionally recommended hand stitching. As usual, Lee & Pearl's photo-illustrated directions and computer-drafted, guaranteed-to-fit-together pattern pieces make construction as easy as possible.

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MATERIALS:

1/4 yard lightweight woven fabric (hat will not use up the full width)

1/4 yard lightweight woven fabric for the lining (can use the same material as the hat)

7" x 7" scrap lightweight fusible interfacing for the brim

21 1/2" single fold bias tape – or make your own out of lightweight woven fabric

Matching thread

18" cord for the chin strap – or make your own out of 5 yards of embroidery floss

3/8" wooden bead for the chin strap slider

OPTIONAL ITEMS:

4 – 1/8" eyelets or grommets and eyelet/grommet setting tool (these can be found with scrapbooking supplies in craft stores)

14 1/2" of 1/2" twill tape (also called herringbone tape) for the Branch Loops

NOTE: White cotton twill tape can be dyed any color you like. Alternatively, sellers on Etsy offer 3/8" twill tape in a variety of colors. If you use 3/8" tape instead of 1/2", move the eyelets down 1/16" to center them between the tape and the top of the hat.

NOTE: The 1:4 scale replica ACUPAT (digital camo) print shown in our photos can be purchased in the Lee & Pearl shop at Spoonflower: http://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/lee&pearl

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We made the T-SHIRT shown in our photos using Lee & Pearl Pattern #1001: Unisex T-Shirts for 18" Dolls – https://www.etsy.com/listing/156525451/lp-pattern-1001-unisex-t-shirts-for-18?ref=shop_home_active_8

We made the SWIMSUITS shown in our photos using Lee & Pearl Pattern #1051: Ballet Basics Leotard and Unitard for 18" Dolls — https://www.etsy.com/listing/221288152/lp-pattern-1051-ballet-basics-leotard? — AND Lee & Pearl Pattern #1058: Retro Ruffled Swimsuit and High Waisted Bikini for 18" Dolls — https://www.etsy.com/listing/194105970/lp-pattern-1058-retro-ruffled-swimsuit?ref=shop_home_active_5

We made the ARMY UNIFORM shown in our photos using Lee & Pearl Pattern #1010: Army Combat Uniform Bundle for 18" Dolls — https://www.etsy.com/listing/172330824/lp-pattern-1010-army-combat-uniform

To see our other patterns, visit the PATTERNS section of our Etsy store at https://www.etsy.com/shop/leeandpearl?section_id=15862176&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1

To see our selection of Fabric & Trim Kits, visit the FABRIC & TRIM KITS section of our Etsy store at https://www.etsy.com/shop/leeandpearl?section_id=15860795&ref=shopsection_leftnav_2

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This pattern will be delivered as an instant download. After purchasing, you will receive a link to a PDF copy of the file. No paper copy will be mailed.

This pattern may be printed solely by the original purchaser. It may not be duplicated, redistributed, posted or resold without prior authorization from Lee & Pearl™. If you use this pattern to make items to sell yourself, we ask that you give Lee & Pearl™ design credit in the description of those items. Thank you!

Lee & Pearl™ is not affiliated with Mattel, American Girl®, the U.S. Army or any other company or organization.